Public safety concerns addressed at Waushara County board meeting

WAUSHARA COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - A public meeting revealed the recent turmoil in Waushara County, as many people learned concerning details about their sheriff’s department over recent weeks.

Around 150 people were in attendance for Tuesday’s board meeting, many seeking changes from the county. Two major topics stood out during public comment, both involving the sheriff’s department.

Records released to the community show that a former deputy had been sending inappropriate messages to other deputies and dispatchers, asking some for explicit photos back in 2022.

Additionally, people shared concerns about Sheriff Wally Zuehlke receiving monthly payments that were supposed to be used for training his K9 companion Argo; however, Argo did not receive these trainings.

Sheriff Zuehlke, who did not attend the meeting, received around $400 a month until three months after the K9’s death.

He released this statement which reads:

“I’m aware of the Badger Project article that was circulated on Monday, September 8th, 2025, in reference to K9 payments for care of K9 Argo.

When I was elected in 2019 as Sheriff of Waushara County, K9 Argo was my K9 partner for several years prior. County Administrator Sivick issued a memorandum on March 25th, 2019, to the Waushara County Board for approval for K9 stipend. I continued to receive this stipend until K9 Argo passed away on August 24th, 2024.

I notified the appropriate County Administration of the passing of K9 Argo immediately. I was unaware of the continued stipend payments for Sept. to Nov. 2024 until the release of the Badger Project article.

After learning of this and confirming that there was an error made by payroll, I reimbursed Waushara County in full on Sept. 9th, 2025."

At their previous meeting, the county board decided to launch a third-party investigation into the matter.

Although the Department of Criminal Investigation didn’t continue their investigation into the K9 case, the board voted in favor of making the sheriff pay over $22,000, plus interest back to the county.

On Tuesday night, concerns were also brought up about the county dispatch center’s handling of a weapons call at Wautoma High School a few weeks ago.

According to a previous statement from the Wautoma Police Department, a social worker had called police for help when she learned that a teen student was threatening a school shooting. The social worker also called the police chief, Chief Mott, who was off duty and out of the county at the time. Chief Mott contacted dispatch and learned no law enforcement officers were sent to the threat of a possible armed subject at Wautoma High School.

Chief Mott requested they start dispatching officers to the incident and they did. Eventually the student was found at the school and taken into custody.

Waushara County Lieutenant Ryan McElroy, the supervisor of the dispatch center, accepted blame at Tuesday night’s meeting, calling the response by the dispatch team a failure. McElroy told board members they did not properly respond to that call, saying, “we have to improve, we have to be better.”